911Blogger.com supports efforts to establish truth and justice concerning 9/11, including through fact-based research and investigation, and non-violent, sound activism, both within the system and by direct action. However, we are not supporting the Citizens 9/11 Commission Campaign (its stated goal is to use state ballot initiatives to establish a commission to investigate 9/11 and the aftermath) and we are unlikely to post submissions promoting it, in its current form. People have asked why 911Blogger has not been posting submissions concerning the Campaign; we have not been, due to various concerns that have been expressed by team members and others, which we believe are legitimate. To acknowledge 911Blogger's position on this issue, and in the interest of facilitating discussion of the Campaign, we are posting this critical essay by team member Erik Larson. Our concerns include points made by Larson, but, like all submissions posted at 911Blogger, publication of this essay should not be construed as an endorsement of it by 911Blogger.

We also wish to note that individuals involved in the Citizen's 9/11 Commission Campaign have made important contributions to society by exposing historical truths, such as Campaign founder Mike Gravel and Advisory Board member Cynthia McKinney. As a US Senator in 1971, Gravel read and entered 4100 pages of the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record. As a US Representative in 2002, McKinney questioned Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs Chairman Richard Myers about the 9/11 war games during Congressional hearings. McKinney also chaired the 2004 “9/11 Omissions Hearings” following publication of the 9/11 Commission Report, and the 2005 follow up hearings, The 9/11 Commission Report One Year Later – A Citizens Response: Did The Commission Get It Right?, both of which documented important evidence through the testimony of credible witnesses.

The comments section below is open for thoughtful and civil discussion. Any comments made by 911blogger team members should be viewed as reflecting their own opinions, and not as the position of 911blogger.com.

The initiative and referendum system is part of the American legal landscape in 24 states. In these states, citizens may write initiatives to amend the state Constitution or propose new statutes, and in some cases repeal laws with referendums. In the case of either an initiative or a referendum, the voting public decides on the outcome of the proposal during an election. In each state which allows citizens to put initiatives on the ballot, the process is slightly different, but the basics remain the same.

The two main players in releasing the Pentagon Papers were Daniel Ellsberg and United States Senator Mike Gravel.

Senator Gravel is the person who read the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record. This act made the papers public record, so that they could not be censored by the government. He was the only member of Congress courageous enough to do so.

Both Ellsberg and Gravel - like many other high-level former officials in the government and intelligence services (including many well-known whistleblowers) - support a new 9/11 investigation. Ellsberg says that the case of a certain 9/11 whistleblower is "far more explosive than the Pentagon Papers". (Here's some of what that whistleblower says.) He also said that the government is ordering the media to cover up her allegations about 9/11.

And he said that some of the claims concerning government involvement in 9/11 are credible, that "very serious questions have been raised about what they [U.S. government officials] knew beforehand and how much involvement there might have been", that engineering 9/11 would not be humanly or psychologically beyond the scope of those in office, and that there's enough evidence to justify a new, "hard-hitting" investigation into 9/11 with subpoenas and testimony taken under oath (see this and this).

Gravel is now backing a California ballot initiative for a new 9/11 investigation. The text of the initiative is below.

Former Alaska Senator and 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel told The Daily Caller in an exclusive interview that he is mulling a primary challenge to President Barack Obama in 2012.

In an e-mail exchange arranged by his daughter, TheDC asked Gravel if he was considering a run for president in 2012 and if he is specifically considering a primary challenge to President Obama. He replied, “Both are possible.”

Progressives who view President Obama’s recent tax compromise with Republican leadership as a betrayal have suggested in recent days that a primary challenge to Obama in 2012 is not unimaginable. TheDC reported that some progressives have been floating names like Howard Dean, Russ Feingold, and even actor George Clooney as possible contenders.

Gravel, who served in the Senate from 1969 to 1980, also stated that he believes that members of the U.S. government “may certainly have participated with the obviously known perpetrators” of the September 11th attacks. “Obviously an act that has triggered three wars, Afghan, Iraqi and the continuing War on Terror, should be extensively investigated”, Gravel continued, “which was not done and which the government avoids addressing.”

History was made on Tuesday, June 17th with the appearance of former Sen. Mike Gravel on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman. Doug Wight, Jose Rodriguez (Sen. Gravel's assistant) and I were there in the studio. It was an amazing experience, being that we've tried so hard for so long to get decent coverage on Democracy Now. I was totally pleased with Amy's detailed setup of the interview. She basically explained what the Initiative is about, articulating that there is this effort calling for a new 9/11 investigation. It was apparent that she was well studied on this and new just what to say. Sen. Gravel got in some good sound bites. He could have gone into more depth, but considering his flight from CA the night before was delayed 2 hours which caused him to get only 3 hours sleep, I have to give him kudos for what he did get across. Here are some direct results of the broadcast:

A daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 700 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the U.S. HomeDonateStoreStationsPast

Democracy Now!
June 17, 2008

Former Senator Mike Gravel Calls for Independent 9/11 Investigation and Prosecution of President Bush and Vice President Cheney

The former Democratic senator from Alaska discusses his presidential campaign, his role in the releasing of the Pentagon Papers and his support for NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign, a grassroots group seeking to place an initiative on the ballot of the November 6th general election allowing registered New York City voters to create a new commission to investigate 9/11. [includes rush transcript]

Guest:

Sen. Mike Gravel, former Democratic senator from Alaska, who served two terms from 1969 to 1981, and a former candidate in the 2008 presidential election.

Gravel: Cheney and Bush should be tried for war crimes
Supports NYC initiative for new 9-11 probe

By Peter Duveen

PETER'S NEW YORK, June 17, 2008--President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney should be tried for war crimes, former U.S. senator Mike Gravel said today. Gravel also said he supports a new investigation into the events of 9-11.

"He deserves to be prosecuted," Gravel said of Bush. "He and Cheney need to go to the Hague and stand in the dock." Gravel made the statements during an interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, a nationally syndicated radio program. The interview was aired today on radio station WBAI, based in New York City.

The Hague refers to the Dutch city selected by international treaty as the venue to prosecute war crimes. The dock is the place in the courtroom where defendants are seated in full public view while their trial is being conducted.

Bush and Cheney should be tried for their actions leading up to, and in the aftermath of, the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, Gravel implied. "What they did is criminal," he said. "Four thousand Americans have died as a result of their fraud on the American people."

Tune in to Democracy Now on Tuesday June 17th! Amy Goodman will interview Mike Gravel regarding the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative as well as his recent books. If you're in NYC area, tune in to WBAI 99.5 FM at 9am. It's also available on MNN and other cable networks. Outside of NYC, go to www.democracynow.org to stream it, find your local radio or cable news outlet, or read the transcript.

Sen. Gravel is extremely passionate about this campaign. Here's a direct quote:

“It is essential for the people of New York City to bring about a new Commission,” said former Senator Mike Gravel. “This possibly will be the only opportunity that we will have to hold George Bush and Dick Cheney legally accountable for their actions on and after the Sept. 11th attacks. This is a great opportunity that we must not squander. To all New York City voters, please sign the petition for this historic ballot initiative. For those of you in the rest of the U.S. who desire truth, justice, and accountability for 9/11, please contact anyone you know in New York City to download the petition, volunteer and donate at www.nyc911initiative.org.”

A couple of weeks ago Mike Gravel was in Los Angeles. During the Q+A, I first thanked him for talking about the "military-industrial complex" in the 1st presidential debate, and then asked him to speak on the potential power of understanding false-flag operations as a mechanism of war and Empire. He proceeded to speak on his ideas for global democracy, making the convincing case that there already is global governance, it just has been hijacked, misused and abused. I then asked him again to speak specifically to my question. Although he brought up some interesting points, I remain unconvinced that a better "system" will cure us of our ongoing treasonous hijackings, and a bit puzzled by why he won't speak to the "false-flag" mechanism even in a historical sense.